<p>Can you come over and make me some coffee, sportsmom? Mine isn’t that good.</p>
<p>(singing) …and neither is mine!</p>
<p>Just don’t sing it for ten minutes, classof2015! Ahhh!!!</p>
<p>I really got the feeling that it was some sort of passive aggressive obnoxiousness…by someone who thought they were fantastic. This was a smaller Starbucks in the terminal, and I’m sure that person is LONG gone. At least I hope so, along with your tall skinny latte lady.</p>
<p>Busdriver & Class of 2015 I would be happy to make coffee for you :)</p>
<p>On the subject of Starbucks - I am not a fan. Last time I was in a Starbucks I had to stand at the register and listen to the two baristas chat each other up while I stood there - this went on for too long and was pretty rude. I must have sighed or looked perturbed because one of them got the clue and the other said in my general direction and not singing but in a sing song voice - Someone is very grumpy and needs their coffee! Back to work!</p>
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<p>This is a real pet-peeve of mine. I have been tempted on more than one occasion to point this out to people who work in service industries, including markets, department stores, and restaurants. I was in Ralphs the other day and the checker never said anything to me until the end of the transaction. She barely looked at me when she handed me the receipt with her “Have a nice day!” The whole time she was chatting to another checker about personal issues. I felt like I was interrupting their conversation just by being a customer. (This was not a young person, so it’s not about “kids these days.”) I find this happens a lot lately, but it used to be rare.
I wish I could think of the right thing to say in these circumstances. Something not too harsh, but just pointed enough to make them stop and think. I honestly think they don’t believe anyone cares.
It does make me not want to shop there if I can help it.
I don’t tip for take-out, but usually am very generous when served at a table or counter.</p>
<p>sportsmom2016 – I’m comin’ over! With my container of heavy cream (I started out using half’n’half – now I’m hooked on the strong stuff). busdriver11 – I’ll try not to drink it all :)</p>
<p>moonchild – you are so right – and this happens at so many places – grocery store check out (where I don’t mind because it’s not like they need to talk to me). At Starbucks when they’re chatting to each other, once I said with a big fake smile “I’m sorry to interrupt…” A manager heard me and took my order.</p>
<p>Their mindset is: work would be great if it wasn’t for all these customers.</p>
<p>The two Starbucks near me have great workers. I have never waited for someone to take an order if no one is in line ahead of me.</p>
<p>I was watching The Chew on TV this afternoon. Both Mario Batali and Michael Symon, chefs and restauranteurs, stated emphatically that although they tip at least 20% when dining in a restaurant, they thought it unnecessary to tip for takeout service. Made me think of this thread.</p>
<p>I can guarantee you that if waiting tables became a non-tipped position, you would have a hard time finding someone to do it. While not everyone, most end up making well above minimum wage. I really don’t get how charging a service fee makes a place able to say they did away with tipping. </p>
<p>As for tipping jars, it is the customer who has made them appear. When they keep saying a place needs one, one will show up. When DH started his pizza place/restaurant some 20 years ago, we didn’t have one, but everyone insisted we needed one instead of them trying to hand the tip to whomever was handing them their order. </p>
<p>Here in NJ, we do not pump our own gas. If it is a horrible day (raining, freezing, sweltering, etc) or if the person pumping my gas is especially nice, prompt, or cleans my windows, I generally give a buck or two to them. I thought it very strange when I first saw my DH do this many years back, but it has actually gotten to be much more common. Off topic: I find it hilarious in the summer when I see out of state people stand next to their cars while they are filling up or when they actually argue with the attendant because they want to do it themselves. Sit in your car and relax!</p>
<p>After coming back and reading this thread after I posted and seeing how many people tip for take-out, it got me thinking AND I cannot think of one single place I have ever gotten take-out I pick up that has a waitress/waiter fill that order. It is either the owner or a hostess or an establishment that doesn’t have sit-down dining in the first place. In other words, they are not relying on tips like the waitstaff.</p>
<p>Just saying…</p>
<p>Momof3DDS, are you aware that in the State of New Jersey the general public is prohibited BY LAW from pumping their own gasoline. It is not by custom or habit.</p>
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It all comes down to the actual wage. Currently it is a pittance plus tips, which can add up to something nice at a decent restaurant - I was making in the mid-30’s back before 9/11. If that same wage was rolled into the check, either as a “service fee” or simply by including it in the food costs, then I think you would still have decent service without tipping.</p>
<p>Of course, then you have the whole motivational aspect of tipping as well - I am honestly not sure if I would have been as consistent in my service if I didn’t know my performance was being judged at each and every table!</p>
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In addition to what LakeWashington said about NJ law, in many areas “full service” is either not available or is more expensive than “self service”. Pumping your own gas is not exactly a hardship.</p>
<p>I tip, just because it seems like a nice thing to do. It doesn’t matter to me whether the people putting my stuff in the bag and ringing me up are paid badly or well. I just think it never hurts to err on the side of generosity, and throwing in 10% (way less than I’d tip for table service) isn’t that expensive.</p>
<p>I saw that same episode of The Chew. The topic came up because someone had criticized Tom Brady for tipping $3 on a bill of $75. His explanation by tweet was that it was a carry out order. Everyone on the panel agreed that tipping was not necessary on a carry out. Although some pointed out that if you’re going to tip, that seemed to be too little when you’re Tom Brady.</p>
<p>Of course I am aware it is the law in NJ about pumping gas. That was my point about out of state drivers. I have seen many arguments between them and the attendant because the driver insists on trying to do it themselves when they are (usually) fully aware they are not allowed. Giving the attendant a tip was what I was saying is becoming more common.</p>
<p>Second thread I’ve bumped up today!</p>
<p>There’s a local place I stop in maybe once-twice a week to get the same salad; I get grilled chicken added to it, so the total comes to $11.00. When you eat in at this place, the wait staff brings you your bill, but you pay at the cashier on the way out. There’s a tip jar at the cashier’s counter. The place is really small (maybe a dozen tables), so often times you get waited on by several employees (one might seat you, another take your order, another deliver your food, another refill your water glass, etc. - or sometimes you might get the same employee to do everything - I think they kind of wing it). So I suspect they share all tips to a certain degree.</p>
<p>Anyway, after reading this thread (I never tipped before unless I was sitting down at this cafe), I would occasionally drop in my loose change at the tip jar when picking up food… not every time, but sometimes. I don’t think they ever noticed (not that I did it to be noticed). So today, I had very little loose change, so I dropped a buck into the tip jar, and the employee who knows me said, “Ah, Teriwtt, you don’t have to do that, not for take out.” And I started laughing as I started thinking about this thread. And she wanted to know what was so funny. I told her it was a long story. But I looked around and there were no other customers in the place (it was 3:30), so I decided to share it with her to see what she’d say. </p>
<p>So I told her about a website that I participate in, that had gotten into a heated discussion about tip jars, and how based on some things I read, I had decided from time to time to leave them something. She still insisted that I didn’t need to do it (and was sincere), but thanked me profusely (geez, it was only $1). I told her I likely would from time to time, just because it’s really the only place I frequent on a consistent basis, where they know me (sometimes they recognize me on their caller ID, and answer, “Hi, Teri; placing an order for your salad?”).</p>
<p>Mom of 3 busty daughters? Isn’t that an unusual name?</p>